Qualla: RCMP Academy, Depot Division

RCMP Academy, Depot Division: Introduction

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Haydn Blackey from Cardiff, Wales, CC BY-SA 2.0. The oldest building still standing in Regina has nothing to do with the city that grew up around it. The RCMP Chapel predates everything, transported from Ontario by flatcar, steamer, and ox team in 1883 when this spot on the prairie was headquarters for the North-West Mounted Police. Today, that humble chapel sits within a sprawling training complex where every single Royal Canadian Mounted Police officer in Canada must earn their badge. No one joins the RCMP as a regular member without completing the 26-week Cadet Training Program at Depot Division. This is where Mounties are made.

Image: Haydn Blackey from Cardiff, Wales | CC BY-SA 2.0

RCMP Academy, Depot Division: From Horseback to Modern Policing

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Brian Dell, Public domain. In its earliest days, Depot maintained a full horse stable and employed veterinarians, training Mounties in the horsemanship that would become synonymous with the force's image. That changed in 1966 when horsemanship was dropped from cadet training, though the RCMP Musical Ride p...

Image: Brian Dell | Public domain

RCMP Academy, Depot Division: The Making of a Mountie

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Haydn Blackey from Cardiff, Wales, CC BY-SA 2.0. Cadet training runs 26 weeks, offered in English or in a bilingual English-French format. Cadets learn firearms handling at a complex with three indoor ranges, including two 25-metre ranges and one 100-metre range. They study defensive tactics, police driving on specialized track...

Image: Haydn Blackey from Cardiff, Wales | CC BY-SA 2.0

RCMP Academy, Depot Division: A Campus Frozen in Time

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Canadaolympic989, CC BY-SA 3.0. Depot's buildings span the entire history of the force. The Headquarters Building, constructed in 1913 on the original site of North-West Mounted Police headquarters, now bears the name of Commissioner A. B. Perry. The Drill Hall, built in 1929 as a Riding School, hosts foot dril...

Image: Canadaolympic989 | CC BY-SA 3.0

RCMP Academy, Depot Division: Sacred Ground

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Haydn Blackey from Cardiff, Wales, CC BY-SA 2.0. The chapel's journey to Regina began with its construction in Ontario, then transport by flatcar to the end of the rail line, by steamer across water, and finally by ox team to its current location. Originally a mess hall, it was partially destroyed by fire in spring 1895 and reb...

Image: Haydn Blackey from Cardiff, Wales | CC BY-SA 2.0

RCMP Academy, Depot Division: Preserving the Legacy

Mon, 26 Jan 2026 00:00:00 GMT

Photo credit Drm310, CC BY-SA 3.0. The RCMP Heritage Centre opened in May 2007 as a non-profit charitable organization, replacing the former Centennial Museum that had operated since 1933. Queen Elizabeth II had officially opened the Centennial Museum in 1973 to mark the RCMP's hundredth anniversary. The old museu...

Image: Drm310 | CC BY-SA 3.0